Canon ZR850

Comparison
Canon ZR830
The ZR830 ($299 MSRP) and the ZR850 ($329 MSRP) could easily become best friends. They share the same common traits: cheap construction, identical video quality, and a decent gamut of manual controls for the point-and-shooter. However, jealousy could arise in this relationship due to the ZR850’s built-in video light, marginally larger still resolution (1152 x 864 versus 1024 x 768), and audio input for audio dubbing (not a mic input!) Are these attributes significant enough to propel the ZR850 beyond the ZR830? Given that the video light performs like a key chain caddy and the audio input really isn’t necessary (you can get over 100 different audio tracks using editing software), you are left with better still images but nothing to have a cat fight over. The ZR830 should feel grounded in the fact that it’s $30 cheaper than its slightly modified counterpart. Don’t worry, you won’t hurt the ZR850’s feelings when you opt for a ZR830. Better yet, skip them both and go for the ZR800 with its mic input.

Canon Elura 100
Camcorderinfo.com’s 2006 Camcorder of the Year. It’s got a 1/5" imager with notably better video quality than a standard 1/6". It has two video lights instead of the ZR850’s lone LED. It has a mic jack and lens threads for lens attachments. Here’s the best part: You can find it online for under $300. Not too shabby. Although the Elura 100 is an all-star consumer-grade camcorder, it does have its flaws. For one, the LCD cavity battery design prevents adding a larger battery. Also, the handling suffers a bit with a lot of tiny buttons placed in the back, whereas the ZR850 sports a simplified joystick. These are miniscule aspects when you look at the wealth of features the Elura 100 has over the ZR850. Although the Elura 100 is discontinued, you can find it online from several retailers.

Sony DCR-HC36
Last year’s HC36 (MSRP $400) offered NightShot Plus, an extendable viewfinder, and a top-loading tape hatch. These are three wins over the ZR850 (although NightShot is an arguably useless feature). The ZR850 is stuck with that abominably sorry excuse for a viewfinder and a bottom loading tape hatch that creates headaches when shooting with a tripod. The ZR850 does offer a better image quality, larger 35x zoom, and a joystick control simplified for menu navigation. The HC36 employs a smudge-ridden touch screen interface. For $70 less, the choice should be clear as crystal.

Panasonic PV-GS39
These two are close contenders. The GS39 ($349 MSRP) offers you a veritable arsenal of manual controls and dances in the palms of those who wish for a comfortable, well-designed camcorder. With an exclusive side-loading tape hatch and joystick placed at the back of the camcorder, the GS39 is more user-friendly than the ZR850. That’s not to say the ZR850 doesn’t have any charm. It has a larger 35x zoom and slightly enhanced 1/6" imager. Since the GS39 is a 2006 model, you will most likely be able to find it online for under $300. In that case, I’d try to get to a store to try them both out first.

Who It’s For Point-and-Shooters
Point-and-shooters will find the ZR850 a delight with its welcoming set of manual controls, lighting presets, and totally radical image effects. Try the mirror effect—it’s gnarly. Besides, when all else fails, hit the Easy button and let Canon do most of the work for you. Plus, you get a lame video light and a remote control. This should be plenty to keep the point-and-shooter occupied.

Budget Consumers
If you’ve read the comparison between the ZR850 and the Elura 100, Camcorderinfo.com’s Camcorder of the Year, the choice is obvious on which is the better buy. Save your money, budget consumers, and put it toward last year’s reigning champion.

Still Photo/Video Hybrid
Yes, it’s a hybrid. No, it’s not worth buying simply because it has an SD card slot. There are many other hybrid camcorders out there that will suit the hybrid freak’s needs. Although the ZR850’s still image quality is better than the ZR830’s, 1024x768 does not ante up to the Elura’s 1152x864.

Gadget Freaks
The gadget freak is on a lonely island in this shallow bay of entry-level DV.

Manual Control Freaks
Those who love to sit in the director’s chair will get a kick out of the focus, white balance, aperture, and gain on the ZR850. Keep in mind that the Panasonic PV-GS39 is a worthy adversary in this department as well.

Pros/Serious Hobbyists
As with the ZR830, the pro will dissect the flimsy construction, bottom-loading tape hatch, and limited additional manual controls found on the ZR850.

Conclusion
The Canon ZR850 is shaping up to be one of the best budget buys of the year. The video quality in bright light was clearly better than the other ZRs, not just in resolution but in color performance as well. The big choice you’ll have to make is whether to opt for the entry-level ZR800 and it’s mic input, or the ZR850 and it’s better video. This is a tough call. If you’re a new or budget consumer, you might think that you can go without the mic input. We would urge you to reconsider. You’re likely not going to find a better deal on a camcorder with a mic input, which makes it highly compelling. An inexpensive mic will make a huge improvement in overall production quality, probably more so than a slight bump in color and resolution. That being the case, the ZR800 just barely edges out the ZR850 as the smart buy.

The downsides to both of these camcorders is low light performance, which was predictably bad. The chips contained within are simply not large enough to capture a decent amount of light. Again, a note for beginners: poor light performance can kill the overall usability of a camcorder. You’ll be shooting in low light conditions more often that you think. But without a model like last year’s Canon Elura 100 to step up to (the Elura series was killed for 2007), we’re not expecting to see anything decent for low light in this price category.

Unfortunately, that’s the sad story of budget camcorders. You’ll occasionally find a camcorder that does well in several categories – handling, manual controls, ease of use – but it will almost always suffer somewhere. The ZR850 has a lot going for it (and the ZR800 even more so), but you should know what the trade-offs for that low price tag are.